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n. Q0 0 m M 2, ,Y 1 e n ,n a n .A MA. d n GLU |,I|\|||||l||1| I n il? lllllir. Il I'Ihllll I Il! a P UNITED STATES PATENT. OEEICE.

CHARLES B. HITCHCOCK, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

,ORE-CONCENTRATING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 279,164, dated June 12, 1883.

Application filed January 11, 1883.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLES B. HITCHCOCK, of Indianapolis, Indiana, have invented a new Improvement in Ore Concentrating Apparatus, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in the several iigures ot' which like let ters indicate like parts.

My invention is an improvement upon the apparatus shown in the patents of E. O. Fri nk, October 2'5, 1881, and G. M. Rice, December 4, `1877, both of which separate and grade the ores by means of an air-blast, and is intended to operate in a similar way, but to produce better results by means of the improvements herein set forth. y

These improvements relate to the amalgamat ing-chamber and sluieeway, and will be fully understood from the-following description. y

In the drawing, the figure is a longitudinal section of the entire apparatus, in which- B is a blower; A C, air-chamber, the arrows indicating the direction of the blast, H, the hopper, in the upper part of which is fixed a sieve, S, and below a stirrer, St.

g g gare gutter-blocks, having concave surfaces to catch the ore, and at the bottoni of these are openings into chambers or receivers R R R for receiving the ore and atthe bottom oi' each of which is a dischargeigate. The squares in the receivers represent glass panels for observing the contents. Three of these receivers are shown in this iigure, and the heavier particles will fall quickest by gravity and drop into the receivers nearest the hopper, the iiner ones passing along and dropping into the receivers farther in.

D is a deleetor for turning the force of the blast, so that the very iine particlesand dust will some of them be stopped, while others will be carried upward over the deflcctor into the amalgamating-chamber Am, in the bottom of which mercury is placed and through the top of which is a sprinkling-pipe, Sp, for

wetting the dust,whenever necessary or desirable, so as to precipitate it.

St2 is a stirrer to keep the mass agitated.

L L L are ledges covered with amalgamating-plates for catching all particles of ore that are carried along by the water of the sluiceway, and G is a gate having an index-wheel,

Iw, for regulating the force of the blast, and also for catching the fine dust.

Glis a gate in the spout M, in which any surplus mercury is caught and held. The water passes out the end of the sluice at W.

The apparatus operates as follows: The ore is put into the sieve S and falls into the hopper H, and, being kept from packing or massing by the stirrer St, passes through the opening o into the air-chamber A C, where it is caught by the blast and carried along in the direction of the arrows, the heavier particles fallin g first, and then the lighter ones, thus grading itself by its weight, and falling into the gutter-blocks g g g and through the openings in them to the receivers R R R. The deflector D catches the dust and lighter particles, to some extent, parts falling into the receiver immediately below and parts being carried over the detlector into the amalgamating-chamber, where they may be precipitated by a shower from the sprinkler Sp; or they may be carried on and stopped by the gate G, deposited on the amalgamating plates or ledges L L L, and held by the mercury thereon. The water in the sluice is nally discharged at V. Any surplus mercury will pass into the chamber M and may be removed by the gate G2.

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an ore-concentrating apparatus, the combination, with an air-chamber and blast mechanism,the air-chamber being provided with intermediate receivers for the graded ores, of an amalgamating-chamber having a sluiceway whose discharge is regulated by a gate, and having a waste-mercury chamber connected therewith, substantially as described.

2. In an ore-concentrating apparatus, the amalgamating-chamber Am, provided with the pipe Sp, the stirrer St, the regulating-gate G,

the notched ledges L L L, and the waste-nier-l cury chamber M, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The amaleamatino-chamberAmI in combination with the sluiceway provided with the regulating-gate G, and ledges L, and mercury-chamber M, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of December, 1882.

CHARLES B. HITCHCOCK.

Witnesses:

CHARLES P. JAcoBs, CIiIiRLEs S. SPRITZ.

IOO 

